Garrett Morgan Transportation Competition

How do we get more people to walk to school? How will we pay for our roads when people no longer pay the gas tax? Are the bike paths in your city accessible and fair for everyone?

This competition is an opportunity for kids to think critically about their world and build important problem-solving skills. If you’re a middle school student, your voice can make a difference.

Are you up for the challenge?

The Garrett Morgan Transportation Competition invites middle school students to propose innovative solutions to real-world sustainable transportation problems while engaging with science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).

This competition—open to middle school classes, clubs, after-school programs, and any other youth-serving organizations—invites students to compete to win up to $1,000 in prizes plus an all-expenses-paid trip to San Jose, California, to be honored at the MTI Awards Banquet. 

Instituted by former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, this competition encourages young people to consider careers in transportation. The Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) has sponsored a competition every year since 2003 with support from transit agencies and other industry partners.

	2027 Garrett Morgan Transportation Competition The Digital Twin Challenge: Building Better Transportation  Test It Before You Build It!
	Imagine being able to test a new road, bus route, or traffic signal without changing anything in the real world. Transportation professionals can do this using digital twins—virtual models that represent real transportation systems and help people understand problems, test possible solutions, and make better decisions before taking action in the real world.  Digital twins are being used to improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, respond to emergencies, improve public transportation, and design smarter transportation systems. It’s kind of like if a video game was updated in real time based on something happening in real life. Imagine playing Minecraft or The Sims, and your changes to a building or road in the game affected real people and traffic! As this technology becomes more common, the people who understand how to use it will help shape the future of how we move. Could that be you? Learn more and view the competition prompt.

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Prizes

• First-place team receives a $1,000 cash prize, a plaque, and an all-expenses-paid trip for a teacher, two student representatives, and a parent or adult guardian to San José, CA for the MTI awards banquet, annually in June.

• Second-place team receives $500 and a plaque.

• Third-place team receives $200 and a plaque.

• All students who compete will receive a signed certificate of participation from MTI.

• Videos will be published on MTI’s website.

• Teacher, club leader, or program counselor leading a competing team receives a $500 honorarium at the conclusion of the competition.

• Industry Mentor receives up to $200 honorarium to participate.

• Youth Mentor high school students receive a signed certificate acknowledging their contributions and a stipend of up to $200.

Note: All prizes must be claimed by the end of the academic school year in which the entries were made.

 

Rules & How to Participate

The steps below outline the general rules and how to participate. Each team collaborates to create a project that is presented in a two-part video submission. Check out the flowchart below for a visual representation of the process! 

How does it work?

1. Partnership & Getting Started

The competition includes a partnership, facilitated by MTI, between the middle school participants and a transportation industry professional. MTI also provides a digital teacher’s guide at no cost for easy classroom lesson integration and $100 to help with project expenses.

2. The Prompt & the Project

Each participating team lead (teacher, parent, club advisor, or program leader) helps their team of 3 or more middle school students create a project to present to the USDOT and other transportation leaders. The team reviews the competition prompt and design their project based on the following submission requirements:

Create an engaging transportation innovation video (5–7 minutes) that introduces your transportation problem and shows how a digital twin could help understand the problem, explore possible solutions, and identify an improvement.

Your video should include:

• The transportation problem: What problem did you choose, and why does it matter?
• What is happening today: What did you observe or learn about the current transportation system?
• Your model: Show the model you created and explain how it represents the real transportation system or location.
• Real-world information: Explain what information a real digital twin might use, such as traffic counts, sensors, cameras, GPS, weather data, schedules, or other information.
• Your “What if?” scenarios: Show at least two different changes or possible solutions you explored using your model.
• Your recommendation: Explain which solution you think would work best and how it could improve transportation.
• What you learned: Briefly describe what you learned about transportation problem-solving and digital twins while completing the project.

Think creatively about how to tell your story. You might use storytelling, interviews, demonstrations, animations, drawings, screen recordings, or other visuals. Remember to use age-appropriate language and visuals. Your video does not need to include sophisticated technology or technical analysis. Judges are most interested in how clearly you understand the transportation problem, how a digital twin could be used to explore it, and how well you communicate your ideas.

The project can be a demonstration, model, PowerPoint, or other presentation that is then recorded. The submission MUST include two video submissions to be scored (see above). The submission may also include a PowerPoint or slide deck as part of either submission; it should also be submitted along with the videos.

3. Submitting the Project & Judging

Each participating team submits a 5-7 minute transportation innovation video. Judges from different transportation agencies, universities, and/or MTI affiliates will score the presentations. Late submissions will be accepted up to 48 hours after the video submission deadline with point deduction. Points will also be deducted for videos that do not meet the length requirements. The virtual Winner Announcement will be held approximately 3 weeks after the submission deadline.

Ready to Participate?

Contact MTI's Program Liaison Susan Vinh (susan.vinh@sjsu.edu) for more information on how to participate and to be connected with a transportation professional!

 

2026 Competition - Important Dates
Monday, October 12, 2026	We will host the Garrett Morgan Information Night on this date at 6:00 p.m. (PT).
Monday, November 30, 2026	Registration deadline on this date by 11:59 p.m. (PT). Please note that if you are interested in or waiting for MTI to pair your team with a transportation professional, you may leave the second part of the form blank.
Sunday, February 28, 2027	Project Entry Form and Individual Registration Form are due on this date by 11:59 p.m. (PT).
Sunday, March 28, 2027	Upload the final video and presentation slides to your team's assigned folder by 11:59 p.m. (PT). ​The Program Survey is due on this date at the same time. When all required materials have been submitted, please notify Susan Vinh (susan.vinh@sjsu.edu) via email.  MTI Program Liaison will share a unique link for each team. If you have not received yours by March 8, 2026, please notify susan.vinh@sjsu.edu. Approved video format: MOV & MP4.  Approved presentation slides format: .ppt, .pdf, and Google Slides link (if submitting a Google Slides link, please upload a Word document with the link and set the Slides permission so that anyone with the link can view it).

 

Glossary

• Youth Mentor - a high school student who supports the team of middle school students in organizing and polishing their project. The Youth Mentor may be selected by the team (e.g., someone already known to the middle school students via a school, club, etc. connection) or assigned by MTI.

• Adult Team Lead - a teacher, parent, or other adult who works closely with the middle school students on their project.

• Industry Mentor - a transportation professional paired with the team to help them develop a solution to their prompt. The Industry Mentor may be selected by the team or Adult Team Lead (e.g., via a work or community connection) or assigned by MTI.

• Team - group of middle school students and their support members, which includes an Adult Team Lead and Industry Mentor; teams can also be supported by a Youth Mentor.

• Program Liaison - MTI staff member Susan Vinh, who can be contacted with any questions or concerns at susan.vinh@sjsu.edu.

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Judging Criteria

Judges from different transportation agencies, universities, and/or MTI affiliates will score the presentations. Judging criteria include organization, content, presentation, and overall fit with the competition goals. View the full scoring rubric, developed by professional educators and MTI staff, here. 

 

Resources & Links

Check below for guidelines, resources, and other helpful links. 

Click on the links in the table to jump to the resources most helpful for you.

Student Resources

Teacher Resources

Youth Mentor Resources

Industry Mentor Resources

General Competition Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

General Competition Resources 

• 2027 Competition Prompt

• About Garrett A. Morgan

• Competition Scoring Rubric 

• Teacher’s Guide (aligned with the Next Generation Science Standard and the California Common Core Standard)

  • Student Workbook

• Transportation Careers: Moving More Than People (25 mins. video)

Student Resources

On the Competition

• Student Workbook

• Scoring Rubric 

On Writing & Presenting

• How to Write a Works Cited or Bibliography from Purdue University Online Writing Lab

• How to Give a Presentation from National Geographic Kids

• Oral Presentations from Boston University

• Oratory Tips and Tricks from PBS

On Transportation

• Transportation News from the United States Department of Transportation

• United States Department of Transportation

• Federal Highway Administration

• Research Publications from MTI

• Transportation Careers: Moving More Than People (25 mins. video)

Boy Scouts of America Resources

• Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge & Awards Requirements

Teacher Resources

• Competition Scoring Rubric

• Teacher’s Guide (aligned with the Next Generation Science Standard and the California Common Core Standard)

  • Student Workbook

• Guiding Students to be Comfortable with Public Speaking from Edutopia

Youth Mentor Resources

• Competition Scoring Rubric

• Youth Mentor General Guidelines 

• Youth Mentor Application Guide & Communication Templates

Industry Mentor Resources

• Competition Scoring Rubric

• Industry Mentor General Guidelines

 

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Past Garrett Morgan Winners

View Past Winning Videos

Year	School	Location
2026	Dana Middle School	Arcadia, California
2025	Graham Middle School	Mountain View, California
2024	Kennedy Middle School	Cupertino, California
2023	Hopkins Junior Middle School	Fremont, California
2022	Hopkins Junior Middle School	Fremont, California
2021	From the Heart Christian School	Suiteland, Maryland
2020	Montessori California Project- Capitol Campus	Sacramento, California
2019	Montessori California Project- Capitol Campus	Sacramento, California
2018	Toddy Thomas	Fortuna, California
2017	Urban Promise Academy	Oakland, California
2016	Morada Middle School	Stockton, California
2015	Guntown Middle School	Guntown, Mississippi
2014	Juan Crespi Middle School	El Sobrante, California
2013	Juan Crespi Middle School	El Sobrante, California
2012	Morada Middle School	Stockton, California
2011	Monument Middle School	Rio Dell, California
2010	Kemps Landing Magnet School	Virginia Beach, Virginia
2009	School Of International Studies At Meadowbrook	Norfolk, Virginia
2008	Edna Brewer Middle School	Oakland, California
2007	Edna Brewer Middle School	Oakland, California
2006	Wells Middle School	Dublin, California
2005	Kemps Landing Magnet School	Virginia Beach, Virginia
2004	Argyle Middle School	Silver Spring, Maryland
2003	Jones Middle School	Hampton Roads, Virginia

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FAQs

Questions about Creating the Project 

• Who is my audience?
  Your presentation should be appropriate for all audiences and written to inspire your peers and community. The judges include MTI staff, educators, and transportation professionals.

• Can I use AI to help me?

Although large language models can be a useful tool for brainstorming and even outlining, your project must be original work created by your team. It should not be plagiarized, generated by AI, or designed/written/created by someone else. All sources should be cited.

• Can I submit more than once?
  Each team can only submit to each contest once. You’re welcome to submit again next year!

• Can my friend/sibling/someone else help?
  Getting feedback from peers can be very helpful. Remember, however, that the work itself must be original work created by your team. It should not be plagiarized, generated by AI, or created by someone else. 

• Can I use ProWritingAid/Grammarly/Spellcheck to check my work?
  Any writing must be your original work and any sources cited, but yes, please do use spell check!

• Can I use work I already made?

The work for this project must be created specifically for this contest and not previously published.

Questions about the Rules

• How will I know if my entry has been received?
  MTI’s Program Liaison Susan Vinh sends a confirmation email once she receives and reviews an entry. 

• Who do I contact if I have any questions?

Please reach out to MTI's Program Liaison Susan Vinh (susan.vinh@sjsu.edu) with any questions.

Questions about Judging

• Who are the judges?
  Judges include MTI staff, transportation industry professionals, and educators. 

• How do you decide the winners?

Judges use specifically tailored criteria developed by educators and industry professionals. The criteria includes content and presentation. You can learn more about the criteria and view the scoring rubric in the “Judging Criteria” section.